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Friday, July 13, 2012

Book Review - I Am Second by Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett

If you have followed my blog for any amount of time you will know I love the organization I Am Second. The videos are inspiring and powerful. Now you can get a taste of it in book form.

Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett have compiled stories from famous people and everyday, ordinary people who have all met God in a deep and difficult place in their life and chosen to place Him FIRST in their lives. If God is FIRST then, by definition ... I Am Second.

Publisher's Blurb: We've all hit bottom at one time or another. The important thing is what you do afterward. For the people who share their stories in I Am Second, coming to the end of themselves brought them to the feet of Jesus. Whether famous or unfamiliar they've dealt with the dark and painful consequences of issues such as addiction, infidelity, violence, racism, and abortion, to name a few. You'll read the testimonies of Josh Hamilton, Michelle Aguilar, Bethany Hamilton, Brian Welch, Anne Rice, Tony Dungy, and many others. From pastors to beauty queens, pro baseball players to single moms, they all needed the gospel of Jesus Christ. In turn, they've discovered the life-changing power of putting God first, boldly proclaiming "I Am Second."

This book is an easy read but not a light read. The words will dramatically change your views, your perspective and possibly your life. Each chapter is a different person and a different story all concluding to the same ending. God is a powerful God and He longs to be intimately involved in our lives. These folks are living proof of that. Concluding each chapter are QR scanning codes and url links to similar stories. It is a little like the "If you like this item, then you might like this..." links we find on many sites, like Amazon.

Reviewing this book has been a challenge because every person who reads it will get a different nugget from it. However I think I can honestly say you will definitely get something out of it. Even if you are familiar with the videos, the book seems to go deeper into the story, offering more insight and detail. (Click here to see what the people in the book have to say about it.) The book is a valuable purchase. It would also make a great gift. An excellent coffee table conversation starter. And a powerful witness.

The story with the most impact for me was actually the foreword explaining the rival quarterbacks (Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford) and the impact their story had on the people of Dallas Texas. Check it out. Another favourite one was Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs, a story of love lost and re-won through the power of a loving God who works in His timing and in His way, if we are obedient.

"Sometimes what gets lost in the whole debate is that God is a personal God and these are the stories of people who have personally interacted with Him and their lives have been radically altered because of that." Doug Bender, co-author

If you want to get a feel for the book, check out this YouTube video promoting it. I have posted several of the videos from the website on my blog, but you are best to go right to the source - www.iamsecond.com If I haven't convinced you yet, check out this video to tell you the story of where it all comes form.

GET THE BOOK! Share the book with your friends, family or leave it behind at a coffee shop.